Movie Apocalypse Now Redux (2001)

Watched 20130802 (Netflix, Instant) concurrently with Apocalypse Now* 195 min
*Technically, I simultaneously listened to both audio tracks, but the one for the redux version was turned up louder. I read after finishing the movies that the audio for the redux version were re-recordings.Apocalypse Now Redux (2001) Francis Ford Coppola. 202 min [botn Heart of Darkness (1899) by Joseph Conrad]

Meanwhile, an army Officer Kurtz has gone crazy and is wanted for murder. Various other commanding officers brief Willard on the case and send him on a mission to apprehend and/or terminate Kurtz.

Willard heads out with some soldiers to meet a Lieutenant Colonel Kilgore. There, Willard asks Kilgore to escort them to the Nung River. While unwilling to take them, Kilgore accepts upon hearing the area has good waves for surfing.

After arriving, Willard separates from Kilgore and goes with a few men up the river. He doesn't tell them how far their going, but he says its pretty far.

20130802:
[20130906]
While I should have just watched the original Apocalypse Now on its own and leave the Redux version for another day, I ambitiously went ahead and watched both at once. While this saved me time, watching the longer Redux version was tiring and I undoubtedly would have enjoyed the original version more than the Redux version. If, however, the Redux version omitted the plantation scene, then I would enjoy the Redux version more.

[20130802]
It turns out that my opinion on the extra content, in particular the plantation scene, is also shared by some critics (according to Wikipedia). As mentioned in my Instant Comments, I would have enjoyed all the extras except for the plantation scene.

The Wikipedia article also mentions how much went into the restoration process.

[20130906]
Overall, I would recommend the average viewer watch the original version first. Then for those who enjoyed the original version, I would definitely recommend the Redux version. Oh, I should also note that reading Heart of Darkness would also enhance the experience.

03: REDUX: "Death cards, let's Charlie know who did this."
04: In the midst of the war, Kilgore is interested in catching a good wave.
05: "How come you guys sit on your helmets?" "So I don't get my balls blown off." Laughs. 06: Then puts his helmet under.
07: "Ride of the Valkyries"
08: Woman carries a bomb to the helicopter. "Fucking savages."
09: "What do you think?" "It's really exciting." "No the waves. The waves." Crazy Kilgore.
10: "I love the smell of napalm in the morning."
11: REDUX: Lol, Kilgore wants the board back. "It was a good board and I like it."

12: REDUX: "You like it like that Captain? When it's hot? Hairy?"
13: Aww... a couple of guys ruined it for everyone.
14: Apparently R&R (Wikipedia.org) stands for "rest and recuperation" or "rest and relaxation."
15: REDUX: Lol, Chef wants to turn Miss May to looking like Miss December. And then there's the other Playmate of the Year who wants to share her heart, but the dude just paints her and himself. Then the painting couple accidentally open a case with a dead body. Meanwhile, the camera switches back to the helicopter and pans out, where you see blood along the sides of the helicopter. The entire sequence of scenes ends with "Who are you?" + "Well I'm next ma'am."

16: The boat search was a sad scene. Clean was just too trigger happy. Poor Chef. "I told you not to stop, now let's go." Fair enough.
17: Dang, Clean didn't even get to hear the end of his mom's recording.
18: I mean... really... Chief just went crazy... cause he would have been alright where he was.
19: It says Apocalypse Now on the bricks/ruins (in the scene after Willard docks and goes up the steps).
20: It might be because I was watching both versions, but the ending seems really drawn out.
21: I'd have been okay without the extra 24 minutes near the end of the Redux version.

22: Both films fade to black and neither have credits.

With the exception of about a minute of footage (see F, I, and J below), the scenes in Apocalypse Now can all found in Apocalypse Now Redux. Thus, the difficulty in watching both is a matter of synchronizing the scenes every time the Redux version adds extra footage. The exception to this statement is a re-positioning of a scene, originally occuring 23 minutes into the original film, but moved to a later part of the story in the Redux version (1 hour 14 minutes into the Redux version) (see B and K below). As noted at the very top, I kept the audio in the Redux version at a higher volume, to minimize the effect of asynchronous play.

A Guide to the Different Streaming Versions of Apocalypse Now Available on Netflix (N stands for Normal, R stands for Redux):
pauseX@##:##:##rem./runYfrom##:##:##rem.to##:##:##rem. (rem. stand for remaining)
A: Nstarts@02:27:05rem./Rstarts@03:15:57rem.
B: runNfrom02:04:27rem.to02:02:41rem./pauseR@02:53:26rem. Having fun on the river (B=K)
C: pauseN@01:58:52rem./runRfrom02:49:36rem.to02:48:41rem. Camera pans to helicopter and Kilgore makes an entrance by copter
D: pauseN@01:57:44rem./runRfrom02:47:33rem.to02:47:21rem. Kilgore does some inspection.
E: pauseN@01:38:47rem./runRfrom02:28:25rem.to02:28:12rem. Kilgore takes the injured child from the Vietnamese woman and looks at it.

F: runN@01:38:31rem.to01:38:20rem./runRfrom02:27:55rem.to02:27:42rem. Normal: Kilgore says some lines which are delivered slightly differently in the Redux version starting at 02:27:35rem. Redux: Kilgore sends the woman and child towards helicopter
G: pauseN@01:38:14rem./runRfrom02:27:35rem.to02:27:14rem.
H: pauseN@01:36:54rem./runRfrom02:25:57rem.to02:23:57rem. Complaining about how the napalm is ruining the waves. Then Willard leaves and steals Kilgore's surfboard.
I: runNfrom01:35:21rem.to01:34:59rem./runRfrom02:22:24rem.to02:19:48rem. Normal: Leads up to the mangoes. Redux: Chef continues his fantasy about Raquel-Welch and then Kilgore flies overhead looking for his board. Then Chef wants to get some mangoes.

J: runNfrom01:19:31rem.to01:19:17/runRfrom02:04:22rem.to02:01:52rem. Normal: Camera stays on Willard. Redux: Soldiers cleaning up the stage then Chief talks about Miss December. Then Clean tells a story about a guy who killed a man over a Playboy magazine.
K: pauseN@01:19:17rem./runRfrom02:01:52rem.to02:00:20rem. Having fun on the river (K=B)
L: pauseN@01:12:50rem./runRfrom01:53:28rem.to01:42:55rem. The scene fades out and the men stop at a post. Willard trades some tank fuel for time with the Playmates.
M: pauseN@00:50:40rem./runRfrom01:20:28rem.to00:56:05rem. This portion consists of heavy dialogue and partially deals with the political views concerning the war.
N: pauseN@00:22:51rem./runRfrom00:28:16rem.to00:22:51rem.

Timothy Tran

I love learning and exploring every aspect of life. My hobbies consist of playing guitar, social dancing, and rock climbing. When it comes to drinking, I love beers, and when it comes to beers, I love porters and Belgian strong ales.

I love learning and exploring every aspect of life. My hobbies consist of playing guitar, social dancing, and rock climbing. When it comes to drinking, I love beers, and when it comes to beers, I love porters and Belgian strong ales.

About This Blog

Originally known as "Adventures of a Grad Student," and temporarily titled "www.supertran.net," on 20160711 this blog became "Adventures of Me." But regardless of its name, the blog has always been dedicated to recording my experiences.